Patent application title: BANNER SHEET FOR COPY JOBS

Abstract:

A method for creating and inserting a banner sheet in an output bin of a
multi-function device for copy jobs. Thus, the user can leave the copy
job in progress, safe in the knowledge that the copy will be recognized
and filed along with other print jobs.

Claims:

1. A method for a shared multi-function device to provide copy jobs with
banner sheets to its output bin, comprising:A) requesting a copy job;B)
querying whether a banner sheet is required;a. if the answer to the
banner sheet inquiry is NO, then proceeding with the copying job;b. if
the answer to the banner sheet inquiry is YES, then proceeding with;C)
entering user identification information;D) creating a banner sheet;E)
inserting said banner sheet into said bin prior to proceeding with the
copying sequence; andF) completing the copy job.

2. The method of claim 1, including providing a soft keypad for entering
said identification information.

3. The method of claim 1, including entering said user identification
information from an electronic mail address book.

4. The method of claim 1, including disabling said banner sheet query.

5. The method of claim 1, including inputting the phrase Local Copy to
replace said user ID.

6. The method of claim 1, including disabling said banner sheet query with
a non-volatile memory switch.

7. The method of claim 1, including creating a banner sheet for each copy
job.

8. The method of claim 8, including providing a controller for creating
said banner sheet.

9. A method for a shared multi-function device to provide non-print,
casual copy jobs with banner sheets to its output bin, comprising:A)
requesting a copy job;B) querying whether a banner sheet is required;a.
if the answer to the banner sheet inquiry is NO, then proceeding with the
copying job;b. if the answer to the banner sheet inquiry is YES, then
proceeding with;C) entering user identification information from
electronic mail address book;D) creating a banner sheet;E) inserting said
banner sheet into said bin prior to proceeding with the copying sequence;
andF) completing the copy job.

10. The method of claim 9, including disabling said banner sheet query.

11. The method of claim 10, including creating a banner sheet for each
copy job.

12. The method of claim 11, including inputting the phrase Local Copy to
replace said user identification information.

13. The method of claim 10, including disabling said banner sheet query
with a non-volatile memory switch.

14. The method of claim 11, including creating said banner sheet with the
use of a controller.

15. A method for distinguishing copy jobs from print jobs in a bin of a
multi-function device, comprising:A) requesting a copy job;B) disabling
banner query;D) creating a banner sheet;E) inserting said banner sheet
into said bin prior to proceeding with the copying sequence; andF)
completing the copy job.

16. The method of claim 15, including using a non-volatile memory switch
in disabling said banner sheet query.

17. The method of claim 15, including providing a controller to create
said banner sheet.

18. The method of claim 17, including creating a banner sheet for each
copy job.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein each said banner sheet is marked Local
Copy.

20. The method of claim 19, including a bin for receipt of said banner
sheet.

Description:

[0001]A method is disclosed herein that relates to multi-function devices
that generate images onto media or sheets. In particular, the disclosed
method relates to the use of banner sheets in multi-function device copy
jobs.

[0002]Typically, multi-function devices, such as, for example, the Xerox
Document Centre 230 ® offers shared printing, copying, faxing, and
scanning solutions specifically designed for the networked office. One
limitation to this arrangement is that the printed hardcopy output in the
shared resource is often provided in a limited number or even a single
output bin. Most printers designed for resource sharing try to
accommodate this problem by skewing or offsetting entire print jobs from
each other. An example is in U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,279 to Corona et al.
where a control system selects which standard size sheet supply tray of
the printer will feed the copy sheets for a selected job set, and will
automatically feed and print a cover sheet of a larger size of different
orientation before or after the job set copy sheets are feed. The sheet
stacker may desirably stack the copy sheets of the job sets commonly edge
aligned, but so that at least one edge area of the cover sheets extends
substantially from at least one edge of the stack of copy sheets of the
job sets to provide an exposed printed banner strip for clear job sets
segregation and separation even if the commonly stacked plural job sets
of copy sheets are misaligned in subsequent handling.

[0003]Heretofore, the use of banner sheets has been relatively narrow in
scope and purpose reflecting the capabilities and intended use of the
shared printers. For example, one banner sheet has typically been
outputted on top of each print job submitted. If multiple copies of a
particular job are requested, then multiple banner sheets are also
produced. Essentially, the only option available has been whether to
print the banner sheet with the job, or not, and even that option is not
adjustable in some instances by the user because it is pre-designed at
the shared print server that spools the print job to the printer. This
creates waste since the banner sheets are often discarded as soon as a
print job is picked up. An aspect of this problem is addressed in U.S.
Pat. No. 7,151,615 B2 to David A. Mantell, which includes a method that
provides printing a print job and placing it into an output bin followed
with a pause before printing a banner sheet of that print job. The banner
sheet will not be printed if the print job is removed from the output bin
before the pause concludes, thereby eliminating waste and expediting any
subsequent printing that may follow. The entirety of the above-mentioned
prior art is incorporated herein by reference.

[0004]However, there is still a need for improvement in handling copy jobs
since copy and print jobs are normally output to a common tray and only
print jobs have banner sheets. As is typical, multi-function devices
combine print and copy output to the same tray. Therefore, a user making
a copy is obliged to stay by the machine as the job completes to pick up
the copies. Additionally, it is often difficult to distinguish between
copy and print output, as copies are not headed by a banner sheet.

[0005]Accordingly, in answer to the above-mentioned problem, a method is
disclosed that allows the creation and insertion of a banner sheet for
copy jobs. This allows the user to leave the copy job in progress, safe
in the knowledge that their copy will be recognized and filed along with
the print jobs.

[0006]Various of the above-mentioned and further features and advantages
will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the specific apparatus
and its operation or methods described in the example(s) below, and the
claims. Thus, they will be better understood from this description of
these specific embodiment(s), including the drawing figures (which are
approximately to scale) wherein:

[0007]FIG. 1 is a flow chart of the copy job banner creation process in
accordance with the present disclosure;

[0008]FIG. 2 is a flow chart of an alternative embodiment of the copy job
banner creation process that includes a specific user identification
technique; and

[0009]FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of yet another embodiment of the copy job
banner process of the present disclosure that includes disabling a banner
creation inquiry.

[0010]In a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure in FIG. 1, a
flow chart 10 of the decision making process of creating and inserting a
banner for copying job in a multi-function device is shown. When a user
submits a copy job in block 12 in accordance with the present disclosure
of distinguishing copy job output in a multi-functional device, he/she is
asked in block 13 whether a banner sheet is required. If the user selects
NO, the copy job simply proceeds in block 17. If the user selects YES, a
soft keypad (UI) is displayed allowing the user to enter their
identification in block 14 which is to be marked centrally on the banner
sheet. A copy controller uses this information in block 15 to create a
banner sheet. In block 16, the banner sheet is inserted prior to
beginning of the copying sequence and, thereafter, in block 17 the
copying sequence proceeds as programmed in block 12.

[0011]Another embodiment of the present disclosure 20 that prints a banner
sheet for copy jobs is shown in FIG. 2 where a copy job is dialed into
the multi-function device in block 22. A query is made as to whether a
banner sheet is required in block 24. If the answer is NO, the copy job
proceeds in block 32. However, if the answer is YES, then the user is
asked to enter his/her copy banner identification from an electronic mail
address book in block 26. This eliminates the need to enter
identification via the soft keypad in FIG. 1. Afterwards, in block 28, a
controller creates a banner that includes the identification information
inserted in block 26 and in block 30 the banner is inserted in an output
bin prior to the copying sequence beginning. Thereafter, the copy job
proceeds as indicated in block 32.

[0012]In yet another embodiment of the present disclosure 40 in FIG. 3, a
copy job is dialed up in block 42. The banner sheet inquiry in FIGS. 1
and 2 is disabled by a non-volatile memory switch in block 43 and a
controller in block 44 creates a banner sheet which optionally could be
simply identified as "Local Copy". The banner sheet in block 45 is
inserted into an output bin prior to beginning of the copying sequence.
Afterwards, the copy job is completed as depicted in block 46.

[0013]It should now be known that a method has been disclosed for printing
a banner sheet for multi-function device copy jobs, such as, for example,
those requested by a casual user. A banner sheet is printed prior to the
copy output to identify the job in a way similar to a print or facsimile
job. The user is queried to determine if a banner sheet is required and
for identification information prior to initiation of copying. This
feature could be configurable to disable the query to determine if a
banner sheet is required. Also, the system could be tied into an
electronic mail address book to simplify user identification. Further,
the banner could optionally be simply identified as "Local Copy" rather
the requiring a user to enter his or her name.

[0014]The claims, as originally presented and as they may be amended,
encompass variations, alternatives, modifications, improvements,
equivalents, and substantial equivalents of the embodiments and teachings
disclosed herein, including those that are presently unforeseen or
unappreciated, and that, for example, may arise from applicants/patentees
and others. Unless specifically recited in a claim, steps or components
of claims should not be implied or imported from the specification or any
other claims as to any particular order, number, position, size, shape,
angle, color, or material.